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If this passes, Apple should advise users strongly against side loading and make clear in their sales contracts/user agreements that Apple won’t troubleshoot or provide support for any software issues potentially or possibly caused by malware or side loaded apps, where Apple has sole discretion to determine when that is the case with no legal recourse. Basically any problem not hardware related has no warranty if Apple determines it could be related to a side loaded app. Apple should also make clear that users side loading apps may and are likely to have their data used in ways that are not permitted by the App Store. Also side loaded apps should be heavily restricted and not able to draw on many iOS services, such as creating calendar entries, reading contacts, etc.
 
Wow, this statement couldn't be more wrong. Name one thing that is impossible to do without a smartphone.

Is is more convenient to have a smartphone? Yes.
Is it a requirement for anything? No.

One could very easily exist with a flip phone and a computer at home. Millions exist without any cell phone at all.
As far as I know, none of my banks issue physical access tokens anymore. I asked and they told me they didn't (don't live in America)

Sure, you can physically go to the bank (if it's not closed due to a Covid issue), but can you see the problem? I can't even access online banking without an smartphone

Edit: Speaking about going to the bank, during the height of the pandemic, I had to visit an specific branch. You had to make an appointment first to avoid having many people inside. You know how they took the appointment? A Whatsapp bot. Wasn't glad but I had to use it but there seemed to be no alternative.
 
yah part of the reason I stick with Apple instead of Android is that I don't want a bunch of random apps in the App Store written by shady and untalented developers, and prefer a curated set. I mean, even the most basic of editorial control over the App Store is so much better than zero control.

Imagine having to go through the curation process yourself in an unfiltered App Store...
Talk about fundamentally misunderstanding the situation.

No one is trying to make Apple host content they don't want to host. The point of this legislation is to allow for side loading, or allowing you to install content from outside the app store - just like you have the ability to do with your computer.
 
If this passes, Apple should advise users strongly against side loading and make clear in their sales contracts/user agreements that Apple won’t troubleshoot or provide support for any software issues potentially or possibly caused by malware or side loaded apps, where Apple has sole discretion to determine when that is the case with no legal recourse. Basically any problem not hardware related has no warranty if Apple determines it could be related to a side loaded app. Apple should also make clear that users side loading apps may and are likely to have their data used in ways that are not permitted by the App Store. Also side loaded apps should be heavily restricted and not able to draw on many iOS services, such as creating calendar entries, reading contacts, etc.
Even better, stop providing software support of any shape or form whatsoever, and provide software as-is without any warranty, including paid software. That’ll save a huge chunk of support cost.
 
Talk about fundamentally misunderstanding the situation.

No one is trying to make Apple host content they don't want to host. The point of this legislation is to allow for side loading, or allowing you to install content from outside the app store - just like you have the ability to do with your computer.
Right and wasn’t iOS supposed to be an improvement over general purpose PCs? iPhones and iPads are far less problematic than pcs including macs for non-technical users. Also macs have minimal market penetration so not a big target like the iPhone. It is naive to think nothing will be lost in terms of security and ease of use by turning iOS into windows or android.
 
Talk about fundamentally misunderstanding the situation.

No one is trying to make Apple host content they don't want to host. The point of this legislation is to allow for side loading, or allowing you to install content from outside the app store - just like you have the ability to do with your computer.
Who will you and others blame when the your/their iPhone goes to hell?
 
You literally can? Lol. It's limited to Apple silicon though.

And the Windows 11 comparison is a bad take - I've had it since day launch and I still can't run Android apps. I believe the feature is currently limited to US and it's only in betas, or some kind of bs.
I would not call that feature “working” when only app I can run are released long before High Sierra era and no longer being updated. Yes you can lol, good to run an app released back in 2016 that was never updated since.
 
As far as I know, none of my banks issue physical access tokens anymore. I asked and they told me they didn't (don't live in America)

Sure, you can physically go to the bank (if it's not closed due to a Covid issue), but can you see the problem? I can't even access online banking without an smartphone

Edit: Speaking about going to the bank, during the height of the pandemic, I had to visit an specific branch. You had to make an appointment first to avoid having many people inside. You know how they took the appointment? A Whatsapp bot. Wasn't glad but I had to use it but there seemed to be no alternative.
You dont have a computer? Weak argument.
 
I still don't understand why people who've lived in the free and open world of PC OS's cant see that changing mobile devices to just be the same as mobile PC's will bring us exactly to where we are now in PC land: anti virus software, relentless malware and ransomware attacks, and so on and so forth. Its not like you need to be a genius to work that out.

Android is already somewhat like this. Why on earth would any sane person want iOS to be the same? Why cant I choose NOT TO have an open OS? I actively dont want one for my personal phone. I really, really dont.
And what about the free and open workd of macOS? Does macOS have relentless malware and ransomware attacks? It's not like you need to be a genius to see that it doesn't.... or maybe you do. ?‍♂️

And has been stated numerous times over and over and over again whenever the subject of sideloading and an alternative app store to Apple's comes up, if you don't feel comfortable using an app store not operated by Apple, you're free not to. You will not be forced to do so.

Do you understand what that means?
 
Apple has nobody but themselves to blame if any of these bills become law. I agree that these laws would be harmful to customers, but that doesn’t seem to do much to dissuade Apple from the greedy and uncompetitive practices that invite this kind of legislation. Stop making the App Store a profit center and these problems would disappear.
 
come on, guys. lets not kid ourselves. you guys are financially invested in apple so that you want people to be forced into buying from the app store. the app store does not take 30% revenue to maintain. it never has and never will. there is no harm TO YOU for allowing customers to have THE OPTION to download on alternative stores. you guys can stop pretending like malware and scams will affect you. you just don't like it because you're selfish.
 
And what about the free and open workd of macOS? Does macOS have relentless malware and ransomware attacks? It's not like you need to be a genius to see that it doesn't.... or maybe you do. ?‍♂️

And has been stated numerous times over and over and over again whenever the subject of sideloading and an alternative app store to Apple's comes up, if you don't feel comfortable using an app store not operated by Apple, you're free not to. You will not be forced to do so.

Do you understand what that means?

macOS is not as large as Windows. I guarantee you that if macOS and Windows flipped, macOS would be a malware riddled mess like Windows is.
 
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I see this argument a lot and it did happen on android to an extent but I think most of those devs walked it back and put their apps in the store since they couldn't get enough people to sideload them to reach whatever install base target they had. Amazon Prime Video is the one I'm thinking of. Started as sideload only but they eventually brought it to the store.

That's what I was thinking.

Android has had sideloading and multiple app stores since the beginning, right?

But I can't recall anyone making a big deal out of it. Everything ends up in the official Google Play store anyway.

Epic pulled Fortnite from Google Play and had people install it from the web. Freedom! But they eventually came crawling back to the Play Store.

Epic had one of the most popular games in history. But even they couldn't get people to sideload it. Would smaller apps or games fair any better? Probably not.

So while I'm not thrilled about governments forcing Apple to allow sideloading or alternative app stores... I'm also not convinced that it will even matter.

If Apple can sandbox the environment so rogue apps can't steal your contacts and other personal info... it might be OK.

But I'm still not thrilled about it.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
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none of this would be a thing if apple wasn't so greedy in the first place. it does not cost 30% of revenue to run the app store. lets not pretend like apple even needs more money.
Who gets to decide the percentage? Is 20% too much? What about 10%? What are the reasons? Why is 30% too much? Why not complain to Steam, PlayStation and Xbox and other stores that take 30%?

Are we really at a point where we cannot allow a business to price their own products? Should Apple be allowed to sell their laptops for the price they do?
 
In the letter, Apple again highlighted a study that showed iOS devices have 98 percent less malware than Android devices as proof of the effectiveness of the App Store.
But that’s disingenuous at best and BS at worst.
A lot of malware has been found in the past infecting apps published on the Play Store.
Google’s lax policy on app review are to blame, not the fact they allow sideloading.

As to how many people with Android phones actually sideload its impossible to know, but keep in mind Epic Games has failed to convince people to sideload in order to install Fortnite, one of the most popular games around.
 
As to how many people with Android phones actually sideload its impossible to know, but keep in mind Epic Games has failed to convince people to sideload in order to install Fortnite, one of the most popular games around.
It is because Apple doesn't offer side-loading. Once Apple does, and Epic tries again, it will be far more common for it to become standard on both Android and iOS. Plus, Epic will purchase exclusivities like they do on PC.
 
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